Whereas, the coastal regions of the US are fragile environmentally and under intense pressure from onshore support activities for the development of the nationís oil and natural gas resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS);

Whereas, each year the federal government receives billions of dollars in revenues from the development of oil and natural gas resources on the OCS, a capital asset of this nation;

Whereas, the federal government does not share directly with the coastal states a meaningful portion of the revenues from the OCS, but it does share 50 percent of the revenues with the state for the development of onshore federal mineral resources within the stateís borders;

Whereas, states that host onshore activities in support of offshore OCS mineral development should receive a share of these revenues to offset the impacts of this development;

Whereas,, at least a portion of the revenues from this capital asset of the nation should be:

reinvested in infrastructure and environmental restoration in the coastal region of this nation;

used to fund the state and federal portions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund;

used for the primary objective of increasing conservation programs for non-game wildlife species and for programs that support fish and wildlife -dependent recreation;

used for preventing declining species from falling into the categories of threatened or endangered;

Resolved, That the southern governors urge the US Congress to pass and the President to sign legislation sharing a meaningful portion of OCS mineral revenues with all states and territories for the purposes stated above.